Lu Xun
Lu Xun is a character who continues to appear in every main''Dynasty Warriors'' title. After his mentor, Lu Meng, passes away, he becomes the young commander of Wu. He is historically married to one of Sun Ce's daughters, Lady Sun, which is sometimes mentioned in the games. In Dynasty Warriors Online, he is 17 years old and his height is 171 cm (a little over 5'7") General Information While Serving Lu Xun you will gain Domestic Bonus - Distribution + 10 Battle Bonus - Defence + 7 Character Information Personality Lu Xun is a quick witted and perceptive man who believes in seeing the big picture. His outstanding talents and youthful energy helps inspire Sun Quan and his allies during dire times. Formal and humble, he tries to see the best in every person, be they ally or foe. He addresses disasters with a prudent and sincere manner, always striving for an optimistic solution to the situation. As a commander, he is more assertive and commits to orders that are do-able or practical. He idolizes his mentor figures, Zhou Yu and Lu Meng, and subconsciously strives to match or surpass their caliber. In older titles, he also respects Zhuge Liang for his tactics and addresses him as "Master Zhuge Liang" (諸葛亮先生). By contrast, he does not think too highly of his successor, Jiang Wei. Character Symbolism Throughout the Dynasty Warriors series, Lu Xun is associated with the barn sparrow. The sparrow's tail feathers is incorporated into his actual design as a coat or shirt in most titles. It also acts as the original namesake for his third, fourth, Level 11, and Standard weapons. While the sparrow is considered a native of China, they have a long history of being a pest due to the birds preying on the land's grain crops. Therefore, there isn't much positive symbolism associated with the bird compared to other animals. Japanese history records a positive reaction to the birds since they specifically targeted the insects eating their crops. Since sparrows often nested in people's houses during the Edo Period, it was considered a good luck charm for the household and -even today- it is taboo to disturb or harm the nest. Sparrows are often tied to women within Japanese culture and a legend states an older woman will marry a younger man if a sparrow nests near her home. Within the Christian faith, the sparrow signals hope, rebirth, and the coming of spring based on its many mentions tied with God. Omega Force likely tied Lu Xun with the bird as a positive symbol for Wu's future. His Skill weapon in Dynasty Warriors 6 is named after the heron. Herons are famed for their graceful figures and are recognized as a symbol of beauty and elegance in East Asian culture. Since they are migratory birds, they are praised as an avian symbol of the particular season they arrive. There are many breeds of heron, but the most romanticized are pure white herons -especially famous in the kabuki dance, Sagi Musume. The "green heron" -or Lu Xun's weapon- may be a reference to the poem, Yulu Yinghu, written by Chen Zhu. In this example, the green originates from several willow tree branches and the white heron flies over them. Though young, the heron flies for several thousand leagues before settling on a rock that "seemed made for it to perch on". Lu Xun's Strength weapon represents the falcon, which is viewed as a mighty avian force of power in Chinese history. The bird is famed for its swiftness and alert nature, liked for its ability to make quick work of its prey. Since the birds were used for hunting and performed their duties well, falcons also represent a symbol of authority. During ancient times, the falcon decorated war banners and were meant to be a feared symbol to those opposing them. Certain Mongolian tribes continue to rely on falcon hunting for their method of obtaining food. In this case, the bird is a signal of trust and support between it and the bird's master. The right to handle falcons is also an initiation rite of sorts for young males. The original name for Lu Xun's personal item in Warriors Orochi is the Six Secret Teachings, a six volume strategy book said to have been written by Lu Shang. While the author's involvement in the book is questionable, both he and King Wu are the main focus within the scrolls' contents. The English name refers to one of the named scrolls, which focuses on adapting to sudden changes whilst in the war front. As a side note, this particular teaching is said to be favored by Yoshitsune in the Gikeiki. Historical Information Early life Lu Xun was from one of the four most prestigious and affluent families in the Jiangdong region (Zhu, Lu, Gu, Zhang). He began his career as a minor official under Sun Ce, who was then still a general and provincial warlord. Lu Xun was soon given a minor post as a commandant and civil official, where he distinguished himself to be proficient in administrating both civilian and military affairs. As a military commander, he pacified the Yue tribes in southeast China and brought them into the Chinese sphere of influence. As a civil official, he was successful in integrating northern refugees and minorities into the social and economic structure of Eastern Wu. Invasion of Jing Province In 208, the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated the warlord Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs, halting Cao's southern expansion and cementing Eastern Wu's place in the Three Kingdoms. Liu Bei did not have a power base then so Sun Quan agreed to lend him Jing Province until he had established his own domain. By 219, Liu Bei had seized Yi Province from the warlord Liu Zhang, but Jing Province was still under his control and governed by his general Guan Yu. When Guan Yu left Jing Province to attack Cao Cao's forces in the north, Lu Xun pretended to take over Lü Meng's command of the military on Jing Province's eastern front. Lu Xun wrote a flattering letter to Guan Yu, praising Guan and putting on a weak front for himself. Guan Yu lowered his guard against Lu Xun and reduced the number of reserve troops in Jing Province. Lü Meng and Lu Xun then staged a secret attack on Jing Province and conquered it swiftly, with many of Guan Yu's subordinates defecting to Wu. Lu Xun also proposed to Sun Quan to adopt measures to win the hearts of people in Jing Province. The number of deserting troops in Guan Yu's army gradually increased as the morale decreased until Guan was left with a small force. Guan was eventually captured and executed on Sun Quan's order. Battle of Xiaoting When Liu Bei found out that Jing Province had been taken and that Guan Yu had been executed, he was enraged. He led the army of Shu Han eastward to reclaim Jing Province and avenge Guan. The Wu army suffered defeats by Shu in the initial stages, until Sun Quan decided to appoint Lu Xun as commander-in-chief. Lu Xun established several forts and reinforced the existing citadels instead of directly contesting Liu Bei's advance. Although this strategy sacrificed territory, it gained him critical time to organize and transport the Wu troops. The critical points thus established also served to tie down enemy troops and disrupt enemy supply routes. Few generals were happy with the choice of Lu Xun as commander-in-chief; many of them were hardened veterans who had been in service since Sun Jian's time, whereas Lu Xun was relatively new and less well-known (Lü Meng received most credit for the capture of Jing Province). They wished to attack Liu Bei while his troops were presumably exhausted from the march. Lu Xun denied them, stating that he discerned that Liu Bei had planned for that, and open battle would be too risky. Liu Bei then sent some forces forward to lure the Wu army into an ambush; the generals wanted to fight, but Lu Xun, predicting an ambush, once again ordered them to stay put. Once the Shu troops had begun to show signs of fatigue, Lu Xun, after several months of inactivity, suddenly struck, first tricking the Shu commanders with a mock attack on one of their camps, then ordering his troops to move forward with torches and set fire to all the other camps of Liu Bei's army. This was followed by a devastating attack from three sides by all of the Wu forces, and Liu Bei's army was utterly destroyed. Liu Bei fled west and died a year later in the city of Baidicheng. Lu Xun rose to fame for his role in the battle and became highly regarded by his colleagues. The Wu army prepared for a follow-up campaign into Shu territory, but Lu Xun perceived that Wei forces would take the opportunity to attack Wu, and called off the campaign. His concern was justified when his prediction came true later. Later campaigns Lu Xun had cemented his position as a military commander, and was appointed governor of Jing Province. In the Battle of Shiting, Zhou Fang, a provincial official feigned defection to Wei, luring a large Wei army commanded by Cao Xiu deep into Wu territory. Lu Xun laid an ambush and destroyed most of the enemy army, while the rest were rescued by Jia Kui, who predicted the ambush and tried to convince Cao Xiu beforehand, but was rejected. At a later date, Wu launched a campaign northward, but one of their trusted couriers was captured and news of their military plans leaked out. Zhuge Jin, one of the generals leading the campaign, began to panic and wrote to Lu Xun, seeking advice on how to retreat; Lu Xun did not reply, but instead spent his time playing chess and planting beans. The perplexed Zhuge Jin went to find out what Lu Xun was up to. Lu Xun explained that if they fled immediately, the army would be in chaos and the enemy would be able to take advantage, pursue and destroy them. Instead, by acting calm, they would suspect that there is a plot and thus hesitate, allowing their forces to quietly withdraw. Just as he said, the enemy hesitated and their forces were able to withdraw safely. Lu Xun was a highly respected advisor to Sun Quan; he was known for his virtue and humility, as well as his keen insight. After Sun Quan declared himself emperor, Lu Xun was appointed chancellor. Later life A dispute arose between two of Sun Quan's sons: Sun He, then heir to the throne, and Sun Ba, Prince of Lu. Sun He's position as crown prince was threatened by Sun Ba, who was deeply favoured by his father. Lu Xun sided with Sun He and begged Sun Quan to affirm Sun He's position as crown prince, stating that Sun Ba's power was a threat to the stability of Wu. He wrote letters to Sun Quan several times; they were all ignored. Sun Quan eventually dismissed Lu Xun from office and repeatedly sent officials to reprimand him. Filled with grief, Lu Xun fell ill and died at the age of 63. Lu Xun married Sun Ce and Da Qiao's daughter and fathered Lu Yan and Lu Kang. Lu Kang became a distinguished general of Wu later. Quests started by Lu Xun Destroy the Facility - 1 Player Quest Capture the Messenger - 1 Player Quest A Soldier Prizes Speed - 1 Player Quest Snow Princess' Robe - 3 Player Quest The Severed Route - 4 Player Quest Weapon Lu Xun's Weapon of choice is the Twin Sabers